The open-world sub-genre has become one of the most prevalent in the gaming industry. Improvements in console hardware and game engines have allowed developers to create enormous maps that are filled to the brim with loot to discover, side quests to complete and NPCs to interact with. The acclaim and commercial success have, unsurprisingly, meant that numerous companies have tried to shoehorn open-worlds into their games, often with lackluster results. Thankfully, there have been more than enough fantastic open-world games released over the last few years, many of which will appeal to fans of third-person shooters.
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It's worth pointing out that this article will only include one game per franchise, to ensure that it doesn't turn into a ranking of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series'.
10 Mass Effect: Andromeda
It wouldn't be too disingenuous to say that Mass Effect: Andromeda's launch was nothing short of disastrous. The game was inundated with bugs and glitches upon release, which painfully disappointed the franchise's many die-hard fans. The game's narrative also took criticism, as many players complained that they didn't feel a connection to any of the characters.
Although the bugs were inexcusable, it's fair to say that much of the game was unfairly criticized due to the unrealistic expectations placed on its shoulders. Mass Effect: Andromeda certainly doesn't reach the heights of the iconic Mass Effect 2, but it earns a spot on this list nonetheless for having the best combat in the series, as well as an open-world for the first time in the franchise.
9 Watch Dogs 2
It's easy to forget now just how highly anticipated the original Watch Dogs was before its 2014 release. Much like the aforementioned Mass Effect: Andromeda, the game was heavily criticized upon release for failing to live up to expectations, though players are now beginning to appreciate the game for what it was.
Watch Dogs 2 was released just over two years after its predecessor and attempted to improve upon many of its shortcomings, such as the dull open-world. Ubisoft's Watch Dogs 2, like the trilogy's other two installments, feels like it could have been so much more; but it does still offer a solid open-world experience.
8 Mad Max
There was once a time when movie tie-in games flooded the gaming industry. From Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings to just about every children's movie, game publishers would often look to cash-in on the success of popular films with a 6-8 hour adventure. Such games have died out in recent years, however, as the often ridiculously short schedules that developers had to adhere to with tie-in games would unsurprisingly result in lackluster products.
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Despite the skepticism that players now have of movie tie-in games, there are some films and properties that are just crying out to be given the gaming treatment, including the Mad Max franchise. Mad Max was released just a few months after Mad Max: Fury Road, though the game isn't a direct tie-in. This is likely why Mad Max proved to be a success, as the developers didn't have the constraints of basing their game on a 90-160 minute film like most tie-in games do.
7 Saints Row 4
Although it seems like a distant memory now, there was once a time when the Saints Row franchise was viewed as having a more serious tone than its Grand Theft Auto counterpart. The complete opposite is now the case, with Saints Row 4 embracing the franchise's new identity as essentially being Grand Theft Auto with every mod and cheat code enabled.
Saints Row 4 was well received by critics upon release, with the PC iteration scoring an impressive 86 on Metacritic.
6 Sunset Overdrive
From one over-the-top open-world shooter to another, Sunset Overdrive was published in 2014 by Microsoft Studios. The game was developed by Insomniac Games, who is best known for its Ratchet & Clank and Spider-Man games.
Much like Saints Row 4, Sunset Overdrive sacrifices realism for extreme and enjoyable action, with the simple intent of making the game as enjoyable as possible. Fans of the game have been eagerly awaiting news of a sequel since the game's release, though there has been little concrete word as of yet.
5 Just Cause 4
Just Cause 4 is the third game in a row that will appeal to players who just want their games to focus on fun, regardless of how ridiculous and over-the-top it may be. Similar to Saints Row, the Just Cause franchise ramped up its extreme elements to a whole new level with its fourth installment, exemplified by the constant extreme weather conditions and ridiculous weaponry like the Lightning Gun.
Just Cause 4's action gameplay didn't go unnoticed, as the game picked up the 2019 Webby for Action Game.
4 L.A. Noire
The first but certainly not the last Rockstar game to make an appearance in this discussion, L.A. Noire turned heads in 2011 with its unique crime scene investigation gameplay. The game wasn't without its share of critics, and its facial animations haven't aged particularly well, but L.A. Noire is still a fantastic option for players who are excited by the prospect of stepping into the shoes of a 1940s detective.
Many of L.A. Noire's shortcomings were fixed in the recent remastering of the game, including changing the ambiguous options of "Truth," "Doubt," and "Lie" to "Good Cop," "Bad Cop," and "Accuse."
3 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Stealth sections in open-world games don't tend to get much love. Consequently, when players heard that the legendary Metal Gear Solid series was implementing an open-world in its latest release, there were a fair few skeptics.
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Thankfully, Kojima Productions smashed it out of the park with Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. The studio not only did a great job of implementing stealth into the game's huge map but also created one of the most visually impressive open-worlds in history.
2 Red Dead Redemption 2
Many people were understandably disappointed that the gaming industry didn't even get a whisper of Grand Theft Auto VI during the eighth generation of consoles. However, Rockstar did provide players with the next best thing, a sequel to their iconic Western Red Dead Redemption.
Red Dead Redemption 2 was released in 2018 and raised the bar for open-world realism with its incredible map that was filled with some of the truest to life weather effects and wildlife mechanics ever seen in a video game. Rockstar's Western also surprised many people with its powerful story, which gave the gaming industry a new anti-hero to love in Arthur Morgan.
1 Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto IV, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas were all strong contenders for this spot, but it's the most recent GTA release that takes the cake.
Many games have tried to replicate the enormous success of Grand Theft Auto V since it was released in 2013, but none have been able to hold a candle to Rockstar's modern classic. Numerous people predicted that Cyberpunk 2077 would be the game to finally surpass GTA V, but its disappointing launch only served as a reminder as to just how much praise Rockstar's game still deserves today.